Poll: Vote for the Miami Herald High School Athlete of the Week (17)
This week, we continue a feature where we ask you to vote for the best high school varsity performer of the week (in Broward and Miami-Dade counties).
This week includes nominees from high school basketball, soccer and wrestling.
Take our poll below to cast your vote. The poll will be open until Thursday, Jan. 15 at around 10 p.m. You may vote as often as you like until then.
Here are the candidates:
NOTE: You should see a Miami Herald box underneath this note for you to type Yes and click Submit. That will ignite the actual poll to vote.
Mayar Dhieu, Westwood Christian basketball: at the Miami Holiday Invitational, the sophomore had 22 points, 8 rebounds and 1 steal in a win over iMater Charter and 20 points, 10 rebounds, 1 block, and 3 assists in a win over Elite Academy.
Emma Esparza, Palmer Trinity basketball: the junior was the tournament MVP as the Falcons won the Braddock Holiday Tournament in Miami. She scored 16 points with 11 assists, five steals and one 3-pointer in the finals against Mater Academy and had 17 points, 8 steals and 4 assists against Lourdes.
Valentina Kalka, Lourdes soccer: the junior scored the winner in a 4-3 victory over NSU University School and also scored in a 3-1 victory over LaSalle on Senior Night as the Bobcats improved to 9-3.
Michael Mocco, Cardinal Gibbons wrestling: the senior went undefeated at the Bobby Stanley Duals in Fort Lauderdale and later won the Outstanding Wrestler Upper Weight award by going undefeated at the Prep Slam Nationals in Atlanta.
Olivia Yakich, Stoneman Douglas wrestling: the sophomore wrestled for the boys’ team at the Bobby Stanley Duals in Fort Lauderdale, winning two matches (after being down by 5 points in each) to help the Eagles place third of 18 teams. She was runner-up at the Deerfield Beach Girls Challenge and fourth at the Patriots Girls Round Robin invitational in Miami.
This story was originally published January 10, 2026 at 7:52 AM.
